Conventionally, there is known an information processing apparatus capable of automatically downloading predetermined data such as an application and also installing the downloaded data.
In such an information processing apparatus as described above, in terms of power consumption (operation mode) of the information processing apparatus, power consumption in downloading and power consumption in installing are almost the same.
Therefore, the exemplary embodiments will describe an information processing apparatus and the like that can further reduce power consumption in the information processing apparatus in automatic downloading and installing, and also, can improve convenience in downloading and installing.
Configuration examples for achieving the above will be shown below.
One configuration example is an information processing apparatus capable of communicating with an external apparatus via a network. The information processing apparatus is capable of operating while switching between at least two operation states of a low power consumption state in which only some of hardware components composing the information processing apparatus are supplied with power and communication with a predetermined server can be performed, and a normal usage state in which more of the hardware components than in the low power consumption state are supplied with power and power consumption is greater than in the low power consumption state. The information processing apparatus includes updating confirmation means, updating preparation means, and updating install means. The update confirmation means confirms whether or not there is at least one update of system software that requires writing on the hardware components, in the low power consumption state. The update preparation means, when there is the update, executes processing of downloading update data for the update from the predetermined server, and starts supplying power to at least some of the hardware components that are not supplied with power in the low power consumption state. The update install means executes system update install, based on the downloaded update data. A series of processes by the update confirmation means, the update preparation means, and the update install means is automatically executed without a user's operation.
The above configuration example makes it possible to execute system update processing in an information processing apparatus while suppressing power consumption of the information processing apparatus, and enhance convenience for a user.
In another configuration example, the update preparation means may start supplying power to a hardware component that is not supplied with power in the low power consumption state and that is a writing target of the update, and the update install means may execute system update install accompanied with writing for the hardware component supplied with power by the update preparation means.
The above configuration example makes it possible to execute system update that requires writing for a hardware component while suppressing power consumption of the information processing apparatus.
In another configuration example, processing by the update preparation means may be executed in the low power consumption state.
The above configuration example can further reduce power consumption of the information processing apparatus.
In another configuration example, after system update install by the update install means is finished, the information processing apparatus may start its operation with an updated system, without requiring a user's operation.
The above configuration example can enhance convenience for a user.
In another configuration example, the information processing apparatus may further include shutdown means for executing processing of shutting down the information processing apparatus after update install by the update install means. Further, after the information processing apparatus is shut down by the shutdown means, the information processing apparatus may automatically switch its operation state to the low power consumption state.
The above configuration example makes it possible to perform system update and also restart after the system update while suppressing power consumption of the information processing apparatus. Further, after system update has been performed once, check processing for update that can occur thereafter can be executed subsequently, and automatic download and update install processing for the update can be performed.
In another configuration example, the information processing apparatus may further include: operation reception means for receiving, from a user, an instruction operation for switching the operation state of the information processing apparatus from a state other than the normal usage state to the normal usage state, based on a user's operation; and normal state shifting means for switching the operation state of the information processing apparatus to the normal usage state in response to the instruction operation received by the operation reception means during the series of processes being performed by the update confirmation means, the update preparation means, and the update install means. The information processing apparatus may further include: download interruption means for, while the download is being performed in the low power consumption state, when the operation reception means receives the instruction operation from the user, interrupting the download processing; and restart means for restarting the interrupted download after the operation state becomes the normal usage state. The restart means may restart the download as background processing, after the operation state becomes the normal usage state. During system update install processing by the update install means, when the operation reception means receives the instruction operation from the user, the normal state shifting means may switch the operation state to the normal usage state while continuing the system update install processing.
In the above configuration example, since download processing is interrupted once and is restarted thereafter, convenience for a user is ensured, and meanwhile, important processing such as system update can be swiftly completed.
In another configuration example, during the series of processes by the update confirmation means, the update preparation means, and the update install means, the information processing apparatus may not output to the external apparatus a video/audio signal relevant to the series of processes.
In the above configuration example, processing for system update can be performed without a user noticing that the processing is being performed.
In another configuration example, software as a target of the update may include a first kind of software and a second kind of software, the update confirmation means may include determination means for determining both whether or not there is update of the first kind of software and whether or not there is update of the second kind of software, and the processes by the update preparation means and the update install means may be executed when it is determined that there is update of the first kind of software. The system software may belong to the first kind of software, and an application other than the system software may belong to the second kind of software.
In the above configuration example, for example, only when update for system software occurs, power feed needed for the update is performed. Therefore, as a whole, power consumption of the information processing apparatus can be further reduced.
According to the exemplary embodiments, it becomes possible to further reduce power consumption of the information processing apparatus in downloading and installing system update, and also improve convenience in downloading and installing.